Texas Bound and Stuff...
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Blogging

Leaving for Texas soon... I've never been there.  Everyone seems to tell me I will be shocked.  I like a lot of people who have lived in Texas.  People on the phone seem pretty nice.  The only thing that concerns me is that everyone seems hungry to convert non-Texans to Texas.  "It's a state of mind" I've been told... This reminds me of "New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel... I haven't been to New York yet either... I hope I get the chance to compare the two minds (New York and Texas)... ;) 

So anyway, some Texas goals...

1. To hopefully see something poisonous (that would be cool)

2. To not drink Coors at all while I'm there... *shudder*

3. To stay as dry as possible (I guess it's been raining a lot)

4. To stay on the good side of arm-bearing citizens. 

(These goals should hopefully be relatively attainable)...  If I don't talk to you before (I leave Mondayish)... see you in a week!

9:25 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Collective Romance
Current mood: happy
Category: Blogging

I'm at home and in between dozes on and off with the kiddos, I read something in Marie Claire magazine that really just made me pause, ponder, and left me awestruck.

In the tip of Hainan Island, there is something called the annual Tianyahaijiao International wedding festival (November 18th each year).  Hundreds of people from all over come together and say "I do."  If that were not pretty cool enough... they then participate in a piggyback race (brides on grooms) across this beautiful beach which means "To the End of the Earth and the Corner of the Sea"  (I guess loosely translated means "Till Death Do Us Part"

There is this amazing picture in the magazine (this month's issue if you get a chance) where hopeful smiling couples work together and race across this beach together.  It makes me wonder what they're thinking at that moment.  What their futures hold.  Can you imagine getting together with a bunch of friends and all getting married at the same time?  I have a theory on that... but maybe another time.

I couldn't find a picture of the race but here is a pic of one of the events. 

For more info please go to www.chinaplanner.com

2:39 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Fun to Come...(Stay Tuned)
Current mood: optimistic
Category: Blogging

So we were watching Comedy Central, and I was blown away by this dry-witted, fun stand-up comic. 

He incorporated flow charts, and graphs to illustrate points... such as the direct correlation between how cute a girl has to be, and how interested he is, as a result, in hearing all about her cat.  

Being forever interested in proving my own psychological theories, and creating lists in a flighty little way... I thought it would be fun to create a spreadsheet with a collection of reasons to be happy, (and yes I know there have been books, and articles, and National Enquirer columns devoted to this as well... but to my knowledge, it has never been in spreadsheet form and then incorporated into a blog).

I'm not really sure how well a spreadsheet will post into a blog, but I'm willing to give it a go, and if it does not work...I will commit to finding another way to relay the info into blog form. 

In addition... if I can find a way to implement a way for you to vote on each individual "item of happy" then, I think that would be good as well.

If you have ideas on how I can further make this vision/theory a tangible reality (in blog form)... right on!  Share them!

...And should you want to check out more about this awesome comic, here's an awesome site where you can see a clip of his amazing research.

www.milkandcookies.com  search Demetri Martin  (Just a little heads up, there are a few charts, that I had some trouble with, and depending on your compass... you may or may not).

1:09 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

"Up Yer Kilt" and Other Treasures of the Day
Current mood: excited
Category: Blogging

We went to our favorite bar and grill up the street for the Friday special as we like to do (the fish is soooo awesome).  She jumped on the stool and we played her usual three songs (pretty soon we're going to know the play numbers by heart).

1. Maggie Mae

2. Ruby (Don't Take Your Love to Town)

3. Margaritaville

It's always so cool to watch the others around us loosen up and get down a little when "Margaritaville" finally comes on.  I can't say I've ever met anyone who didn't like it.  It's just infectious.  Btw... I know someone with a "Mexican Cutie" tattoo.

We went to a few sales on the way, although we decided to give "Thelma" a break since last week was so extra eventful. 

There were some pretty good deals, and I had a nice conversation with a German lady.  She said some things that inspired me to think about a few things differently, which I'm glad about. 

We went to a holistic pet store out of someone's house.  We witnessed cats coming out from everywhere in order to get some freeze-dried chicken.  That was pretty cool.  The low-key Border Collie liked his belly rubbed.  I learned about natural alternatives to "Front-Line", and other ideas regarding pets.  Our youngest picked out a tag with a kitty on it for her backpack.  I disagreed with the owner's view on one particuliar area of pet food, but I appreciated her thoughts on the matter.

We stumbled into a Celtic store where I bought an "Up Yer Kilt" sticker for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day, (in addition to other cool stuff) we're all interested in Scottish stuff, so it should be well received.  The storewoman was the mom of the owner, and was this sweet, sweet Irish woman that kissed our youngest and gave her cookies (they were wrapped, no worries). 

I will need to go back to the Celtic store soon.  I think my sweet needs a dagger for his sock, and I need a Nessie air freshner for my car. 

Oh, the adventures to be had!  There truly is a new one around every corner!

1:59 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

My Kid's Soccer Team Kicked Your Kid's @.$%
Current mood: savage
Category: Blogging

Oh Yeah... They won their second game as well!  They beat a bunch of older, stronger kids and used everything they had to do it, (it was beautiful).  One of the girls on the team played even though she had a tick on her, and owned the ball!  One of the boys lost his shoe, and do you think it stopped him?  The hot-headed opposing coach ran up and down the field screaming and complaining, (it was sad... but bittersweet really). 

One of the coolest things for us was seeing our guy perform three awesome blocks, and press through the sting.  Yes!

Oh yeah... that "Ms. Soccer Mom" to you!

6:11 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Swans and Purple Tulips
Current mood: content
Category: Blogging

(If you have short attention span, you will not enjoy this blog. Turn away now).

I have a theory that happiness can never truly be obtained, if you can never see the good in whatever situation you're in.  If you can't see the blessings you have in your hands now, how will you ever see the blessing that you one day hope to have?

Every spring I'm a little sad, when I think about the purple tulips I left behind at one of our old houses.  A friend of mine used to call me up and tell me when they were in bloom.  You'd think I would have just replanted some after all this time, but I never have.  I'm not really sure why.  This year I bought some pre-planted purple tulips for inside the house.  They bloomed while I was in Arizona.  There's just something about purple tulips, I don't know what it is. 

The dog dug up most of the roses I planted, and ate the roots beyond recognition.  I've been annoyed with my allergies, even though this year has not been as bad as others.  I've been watching from the window, the dandelions taking over, frustrated, and powerless.  Yet, in the flower boxes, in the grass even... purple tulips are growing.  Someone else who lived here before us, planted purple tulips.  Truly Amazing.

There are bad things about the area where we live, things that drive me up the wall.  There has been quite a controversy about the mute swans a few towns away.  Supposedly mute swans and trumpeter swans are natural enemies and the mute swan population is deemed by some authority as being "out of control" and forcing out trumpeter swans.  Despite documented cases of peaceful cohabitation, the DNR decided to kill a number of mute swans this year.  (I wonder how they can sleep at night).  Living around so many lakes, I wished they would all come around where we live instead.  Although I saw some trumpeter swans flying over our backyard, I lost hope that any type of swan would come around by us.

I was hurrying home, and sad about a little terrier that had been killed by a car near work.  I happened to glance out the window by the lake, and saw a swan.

After lunch we went out in search of it, sat on some rocks and just watched.  There's something about swans, I don't know what it is. 

What are the swans and purple tulips in your life?

11:22 AM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

My Absolute Favorite Trilogy
Current mood: dorky
Category: Blogging

I'm not a Star Wars girl.  I love a lot of people who are fanatics, and that's okay.

I'm not a Harry Potter fan.  I love a lot of people who are, and that's okay too.

I'm not a Lord of the Rings Cronie.  I love a people who are, and it's all good.

I'm not all about all of the Batman movies.  I like what I like, and love people who love them all... and that's wonderful.

Truth be told I was a geek about it, ever since the first "teaser" preview last year.  I couldn't wait.  No, I haven't read the comic books, I just don't have the attention span, I apologize, (I also love a lot of comic book readers).  With that being said, I adore the Spiderman trilogy.  Truly, Deeply and Madly so.

I could go on and on about how and why, and maybe I will someday in a future blog.  For now, I will just say it's my favorite trilogy.  The End. 

*And just in case you're wondering, X-Men would be my #2.

5:44 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Running From the Law?
Current mood: curious
Category: Blogging

My good friend and I set out yesterday for another adventure in what is becoming our Thursday ritual.

We were driving around like "Thelma and Louise" as she calls us, looking for a yard or estate sale.

Yesterday we weren't relying on the paper's listings, rather going where the wind took us, (which is one of my favorite things to do).

My driving was forcing her to be more carefree (which is good for her), and our little ones were happily riding along in the backseat.

I had a feeling about a little town around the way, and we both screamed out victoriously when we saw a sign by the road.  Truth be told, I was going to drive by.  It looked like a lot of junk to me, but she had a feeling now, so much so, that she jumped out of the car before I had a chance to park. 

To my surprise, there were amazing wrought iron whimsical decorations, that we both fell in love with and were cheap.  I scored most of the wrought iron, she scored a beautiful marble end table for only $12.

We waited for someone to come out for us to pay.  There was no one. We walked around and found a police warrant taped to the door, and still no one around.  My friend suggested maybe no one was coming to the door, because they were arrested.  We both agreed that would suck, so we put our money for the stuff in two bank envelopes I found in the car and slipped them under the door.

The Devil owns an antique store...

As we were loading our finds in the car, a woman drove up and began questioning us.  What were we doing?  Where is the money for the items we were loading?  How could we do such a thing?  The woman told us she owned an antique store in town, and is a friend of the homeowner who was apparently "on the lamb".

My take:  this antique store lady really wants what we just bought and is truly angry that she did not get there before us.

I tried to calm down the lady for a while, and then started defending myself, then got really angry and started yelling back.   She took down my license plate number.

As I got in the car, she yelled, "I hope the police arrest you for trespassing and stealing other people's property." 

I don't normally do this, but then again, I'm 30 now, and feel my life going in a new direction.  I yelled out as I drove away, "Yeah, well I think the police are going to be too busy to care, with your friend who is running from the law!"

We tried to decipher what had just happened.  Where did the troll lady come from?  What was her angle?  Could we really be arrested for trespassing when there was a sign for a sale in the yard and everything was marked?  After all we left our money.

We went to couple other sales after that, and encountered a man who was losing his pants, and my friend, had a rake fall on her.

It was an interesting day.  Yet the thought looms... am I now indeed "running from the law?"

6:31 AM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Trying on the Soccer Mom Crown
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Blogging

Our son officially started soccer yesterday.  He was so cute in his little blue shorts, shirt adorned with his own little number, socks that stretched up to his armpits and black "soccer" cleets.

There is a stigma that goes along with moms of children who play soccer.  It's interesting when we step back and psychoanalyze it, (maybe another blog).  I have friends who admittingly convinced there kids to take up another sport only so that they themselves would not be considered a "soccer mom".

My opinion on the matter is that kids need to do what their passionate about, and I've never been the stereotypical anything to care whether or not I fit the profile of "soccer mom".  After all, it's not every mom that can boast that she enraged two bus loads of parents, kids and teachers who were eagerly awaiting their turn to witness the maple syrup process, (I still get glared at as a result).

Truth be told, I am really thankful the team was able to start up.  He had missed to practice days already because there was not a coach available.  I was secretly hoping my guy would step up and become the Will Farrell leader of the team, even though it was not possible due to time constraints and other factors. 

When we got the call last week from the guy that did step up to coach, I was so happy that the team would get a chance to even play.

He told me over the phone that he didn't know a lot about soccer, but that he was doing it for the kids, he wasn't going to have any extra practices, and it's all about the kids having fun.  Sounded okay by me.

When we got to the field I was shocked by an angry little red-haired woman, wearing rhinestone encrusted sunglasses barking orders here and there.  She stomped up next to me, and started complaining. 

Why would you go up to someone you don't even know and start complaining and dragging down your child's team?  Understanding how misery loves company, I chose to hear her comments without accepting them.  Angry at me now, she stomped over to another bench, and another mom who was willing to comiserate.   She only crept back over to me after hearing us cheer, because she wanted to know who exactly made the goal. 

They won the game.  Maybe it's just me, it wouldn't be the first time, but isn't it more important to support and help out?  We're all in the same boat.  Your situation is not unique.  You can choose to see the best in the situation, and be happy or focus on the negative and be miserable and make everyone else around you miserable in the process.

It seems to me that's it's more exhausting to be miserable.  I hope I'm not the only soccer mom that feels this way.

5:08 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

A Writer...Writes?
Current mood: indescribable
Category: Blogging

One of my professors whom I adored, would often get my attention, and say, "Don't forget, a writer...writes." 

I would chuckle on the inside and think of Billy Crystal from "Throw Mama From the Train", everytime he said this to me.  He was truly one of the sweetest men I think I've ever met.

Okay.  A writer writes.  My head is swirly with ideas.  No time to write the novel.  No place to post the little thoughts unsuitable for children.

Restless.

Where are the words?

10:35 AM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment